By Filane Mikee Cervantes
MANILA – House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco condemned on Friday the misuse of a special protocol plate “8” seen in the viral traffic altercation video, saying it appears to be counterfeit.
In a statement, Velasco said using a fake “8” plate is a punishable offense under existing laws and undermines the integrity of official government markings.
Velasco said the “8” plate is exclusively reserved for members of the House of Representatives and is not valid for private or unauthorized use.
“From watching the viral video, it would seem that the protocol plate is fake. It does not seem to have the security features of an original “8” protocol plate. Our law enforcement agencies can easily identify fake plates and confiscate them,” the House official said.
Velasco was referring to the video that went viral, showing an enraged male driver of a Mitsubishi Montero aggressively cursing at another motorist in a red CR-V while they were lined up at a fast-food drive-thru.
The Montero driver not only hurled profanities but also threatened to shoot the CR-V driver before speeding away from the scene.
“Any attempt to impersonate or abuse this privilege is a direct affront to the institution and the law,” he added.
He also called on the public to report similar abuses.
“The House is fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who misuse government-issued protocol plates face the full force of the law,” Velasco said.
Meanwhile, Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said no such protocol plates had been issued in the 19th Congress.
Acidre noted that Speaker Martin Romualdez has discouraged the use of special “8” plates and has called for their surrender to the House.
“I personally don’t use protocol plates, but some of our colleagues can do their work more efficiently because they use them,” Acidre said in Filipino during an online press briefing.
Acidre stressed that the privilege must be exercised responsibly.
He also urged stricter regulation of the issuance and use of protocol plates, citing the availability of fake plates online. (PNA)
